Projectile for an insect zapper gun

ABSTRACT

An electrifiable projectile for an insect zapper gun is capable of killing a target insect at a distance from the user. The projectile includes a pattern of electric wires forming a front-facing conductive contact structure having a breadth sufficient to allow the projectile to intercept an insect when propelled in a forward trajectory toward an insect. When the projectile&#39;s pattern of electric wires comes into contact with the target insect, an electric charge on the projectile is transmitted to the insect rendering the insect deceased.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a continuation of U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 17/592,402 filed Feb. 3, 2022, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/289,517 filed Dec. 14, 2021, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to insect eradication devices and more particularly to handheld bug killing devices having electrified components that can be brought into contact with moving insects in hopes of rendering them deceased.

Handheld insect zappers that have electrically charged wires that will kill insects on contact are well known. An exemplary handheld zapper is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,181,385 issued to James Mars, which shows a zapper shaped like a squash or tennis racquet with stacked electric grids held in a racquet head frame. Mars discloses that the handle of the zapper can be gripped to angularly change the position of the racquet to cause flying insects to come into contact with the electric grid portion of the racquet. Similarly constructed devices have been commercialized that are specifically intended to be used like tennis racquets where a racquet head having electric wires is swung through the air at insects in a swatting motion. The difficulty with such insect swatters is that the range of the devices is limited to the reach of the user. Insects beyond this range will be missed, limiting the effectiveness of the swatter.

The present invention overcomes the range limitations of previous insect killing devices while providing the user with the satisfaction of targeting insects at some distance from the user.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The invention is directed to a projectile for an insect zapper gun capable of being fired from a handheld base at a target insect at a distance from the user. The electrifiable projectile has a front facing conductive contact structure that can intercept insects when launched in a forward trajectory through the air. When electrified, the front facing conductive contact structure of the projectile will transmit an electric charge to any insect it intercepts when the projectile is fired in a forward trajectory.

In a preferred aspect of the invention, the projectile has an electrical charge storage means, such as one or more capacitors, and the front facing conductive contact structure of the projectile is connected to the electrical charge storage means. When the front-facing conductive contact structure comes into contact with an insect, an electric charge stored in the electrical charge storage means of the projectile is transmitted to the insect. However, it will be understood that a projectile that has a front facing conductive contact structure that receives an electric charge transmissible to an insect by other means is within the scope of the invention.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention wherein the projectile has an electrical charge storage means, the electrical charge storage means of the projectile is in electrical communication with an electrical charging means of a handheld base. In still a further aspect of the invention, the electrical charge storage means of the projectile is in electrical communication with an electrical charging means on the handheld base of the bug zapper gun through the launch mechanism of the handheld base. In this aspect of the invention, when the projectile is held on the launch mechanism of the handheld base in a fire ready position, the electrical charging means of the handheld base charges the charge storage means of the projectile.

Other aspects of the inventions will be apparent from the following specification and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of an insect zapper gun in accordance with the invention with the electrified projectile loaded onto the handheld base thereof.

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view thereof.

FIG. 3 is side perspective view thereof showing the electrified projectile being fired therefrom.

FIG. 4 is a partial cut-away view thereof showing the components in the handheld base of the insect zapper gun.

FIG. 5 is a partial view thereof showing in more detail portions of the launch mechanism thereof.

FIG. 6 is a rear perspective, partially cut-away view of the electrified projectile of the insect zapper gun illustrated in FIGS. 1-2 .

FIG. 7 is a rear elevational view thereof.

FIG. 8 is a front perspective view thereof.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged partial front perspective view thereof, showing the inner and outer electric grids thereof in greater detail.

FIG. 10 is a front elevational view thereof.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view thereof.

FIG. 12 is a schematic representation of the circuitry of the insect zapper gun illustrated in FIGS. 1-2 .

FIG. 13 is a pictorial view of an embodiment of the insect zapper gun in accordance with the invention, wherein the projectile of the zapper gun is tethered to the handheld base of the zapper gun.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1-3 of the drawings, there is shown an insect zapper gun, denoted by the numeral 11, having a handheld base 13 and a projectile 15 spring loaded in a fire-ready position onto the base. As hereinafter described, the projectile can be charged or “electrified” from the base so that, when fired at and hitting an insect in the air or on a surface, the charge on the projectile will be transferred to the insect with the hoped for result of killing the insect.

The handheld base of the gun is seen to have a gripping portion 17 and a front end portion 19 for holding the projectile. The front end, which can be pointed in the direction the user wishes to fire the projectile, has a launch mechanism for projectile 15. As shown in FIG. 3 , the launch mechanism is comprised of a launch rod 21 extending from the base's front end and a compressible launch spring 23 placed over the launch rod. The spring and rod elements of the launch mechanism provide positive and negative conductor paths for electrifying the projectile as hereafter described.

The projectile is held in its fire-ready position on the handheld base 13 by a suitable release mechanism. In the illustrated embodiment, the release mechanism, denoted by the numeral 25, has a thumb accessible trigger end 27 and a catch end 29 at the front end of the base for holding the projectile. By pressing the trigger, the catch end releases the projectile from a locked fire-ready position on the base so that the projectile can be propelled forward by the compression spring 23 of the launch mechanism.

As best shown in FIGS. 6-11 , the projectile 15 includes a central shaft 31 defining a longitudinal axis of the projectile, radial fin walls 33, and a circular grid frame 35 attached by suitable attachment means such as screws to the distal ends 37 of the fin walls. The circular grid frame holds co-planar, closely spaced electrical grids 39, 41, which provide a large-area, front-facing, planar conductive contact structure for intercepting insects. The area of the planar conductive contact structure of the projectile should be sufficient to produce intercepts with insects with relative ease, but not so large as to interfere with the ability to propel the projectile at sufficient velocity in a forward trajectory though the air. A circular planar contact structure having a diameter of about four inches is found to be suitable for achieving the desired performance of the projectile when fired from the handheld base.

The inner grid 39 of the projectile's conductive contact structure is seen to have small mesh openings compared to the mesh openings of the outer grid 41 and will intercept insects passing through the outer grid. The grids are “electrified” in the sense that they are conductors of opposite polarities and will discharge current from a source of stored electric charge through the insect that comes into contact with the grids. Separation between the inner grid 39 and outer grid 41 is maintained by arcuate spacer bars 42 that curve inwardly from inside wall 40 of the grill frame.

Central shaft 31 of the projectile has a rearwardly projecting end 43, a forward end 45, and a center opening 47 through the shaft sized to receive the launch rod 21 of the handheld base. As best seen in FIGS. 5 and 6 , a donut-shaped flange 49 at the rearwardly projecting end of the shaft provides a ledge 51 that the catch end of the base's release mechanism can releasably engage. It also has a rear-facing conductor surface 53 which is contacted by the enlarged forward end 24 of the compressible launch spring 23 of the launch mechanism when the projectile is loaded onto the handheld base.

The stored electric charge needed to discharge current through insects coming into contact with the two conductive grids of the projectile is supplied by charge storage capacitor 55 affixed to the side of one of the fin walls 33 of the projectile. To balance the projectile, counter-weights or additional capacitors (not shown) can be affixed or otherwise provided on the other two projectile fin walls. Also, one or more charge storage capacitors could instead or additionally be placed elsewhere on the projectile, such as on the projectile's central shaft 31.

When the projectile is loaded onto the handheld base, the capacitor 55 will be charged via electrical paths provided by the compressed metal launch spring 23 and a conductor (not shown) provided on the inside of the launch rod 21. The conductor inside of the launch rod could, for example, be provided by a metal tubular lining in the center bore (not shown) of the launch rod. More specifically, as above-described, the forward end of the launch spring 23 is seen to contact the rear-facing conductor surface 53 on the donut-shaped flange 49 on one end of the projectile's center shaft 31. Suitable wiring (not shown) can be provided for wiring this conductor to one lead of the capacitor 55. The electrical path to the other capacitor lead is provided by the conductor that extends through launch rod 21. This conductor extends to the projecting end 22 of the launch rod, which when inserted all the way into the center shaft of the projectile will contact a second, shorter metal compression spring 57 held in the projectile underneath the electrified grids by an insulating retainer cap 59. Spring 57 can be connected to the other lead of capacitor 55 either directly or via a connecting wire. In addition to providing an electrical pathway for charging the storage capacitor 55, it also exerts a forwardly directed force against spring retainer cap 59 that in turn pushes against the inner grid 39 to tension the grids in the grid frame 35.

The components of the insect zapper that electrify the projectile when loaded onto the handheld base can further be described in reference to FIGS. 4 and 12 . The handheld base 13 is seen to contain batteries 61 that connect to a circuit component 63 which suitably includes a transformer for stepping up the battery voltage available to charge the projectile 15. A switch, denoted by the numeral 65 in FIG. 12 , suitably accessible from the bottom of the handheld base, can be provided for switching the base into and out of a charging mode by switching the battery into or out of the circuit. An indicator light 67 can be provided to indicate whether the base is in a charging mode. As above-described, when the projectile is loaded onto the base, a circuit is completed through the launch rod 21 (not shown in FIG. 12 ) and launch spring 23 to the charge storage capacitor 55. Capacitor 55 is in turn connected to the electric grids 39, 41 by suitable wiring graphically represented in FIG. 12 wire traces 69.

Except for its electrical components, the insect zapper of the invention is preferably made of lightweight materials, most suitably a light biodegradable plastic, and the projectile kept as light as possible. The center shaft and fin walls of the projectile can suitably be fabricated in easily assembled molded sections fitted and held together by the grid frame 35 and a collar 36 securing the rearwardly projecting end 43 of the projectile.

To use the illustrated insect swatter, the projectile is simply loaded onto the hand held base by inserting the launch rod of the base's launch mechanism into the center opening 47 of the projectile shaft and pushing the projectile all the way up on the launch rod against the launch spring until the catch end of the release mechanism clicks into place over the projectile flange 49. Once loaded, the base can be switched on via switch 65 on the bottom of the base, allowing the batteries in the base to charge the charge storage capacitor 55 on the projectile. The base with an attached projectile can then be pointed at an insect and fired by pressing the thumb accessible trigger on the base, whereupon the projectile will be propelled toward the insect. When the electrified grids of the projectile strike the insect, the insect will become deceased.

When fired, the projectile as heretofore described is propelled completely free of the zapper base. However, it is contemplated that the projectile could be tethered to the base so as to limit the travel distance of the projectile and to make the projectile easy to retrieve. Such a tether is illustrated in FIG. 13 where the projectile 15 is shown to be tethered to the base 13 of bug zapper 11 by means of tether line 71. The tether line would preferably be fabricated of a lightweight, elastomeric cord material that allows some stretch when fully extended. It is further contemplated that the projectile could be electrified through an insulated conductor extended along or through the tether rather than through the projectile launch mechanism. Electrifying the projectile through this alternative path could be a matter of charging a charge storage means on the projectile such as storage capacitor 55 previously described or connecting a conductor that extends along or through the tether directly to the conductive grids 39, 41 at the front of the projectile.

While an embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail in the foregoing specification, it will be understood that it is not intended that the invention be limited to such detail and that modifications to the illustrated embodiment are possible within the scope of the invention. For example, instead of a projectile using electric elements in the form of a grid, parallel electric wires of alternating polarity could be stretched across and suitably attached to the circular grid frame 35. The ends of these grid wires would be wired or otherwise electrically connected to the projectile's charge storage capacitor 55 to achieve the desired alternating polarities. Also, the electrical means for charging the capacitor 55 or other charge storage means on the projectile could be provided by means other than the illustrated batteries. For example, the charging means could be provided from an electrical wall outlet via an electrical cord extending from the base of the bug zapper. The voltage at the wall outlet can be suitably stepped down by a voltage transformer provided externally or internally of the base. 

1. A projectile for an insect zapper gun having a handheld base wherein the projectile is launched from the handheld base from a fire-ready position on a handheld base, the projectile comprising: a central shaft having a rearwardly extending end and a forwardly extending end, the rearwardly extending end being configured such that it can be held in a fire-ready position on a handheld base of an insect zapper gun and launched in a forward trajectory from the handheld base, a frame supported at the forwardly extending end of the central shaft, a pattern of electric wires held by and spanning the frame, the pattern of electric wires forming a front-facing conductive contact structure having a breadth sufficient to allow the projectile to intercept an insect when propelled in a forward trajectory toward an insect, and electrical charge storage means affixed to the projectile and connected to the front-facing conductive contact structure of the projectile such that, when the projectile is launched from a fire-ready position on a handheld base of a bug zapper gun with an electric charge stored in the electrical charge storage means of the projectile, the electric charge stored in the electrical charge storage means of the projectile will be transmitted to an insect that is intercepted by the front-facing conductive contact structure of the projectile.
 2. The projectile of claim 1 further comprising means for placing the electrical charge storage means on the projectile in electrical communication with an electrical charging means on the handheld base so that electrical charge storage means on the projectile can be charged from the electrical charging means of the handheld base when the projectile is held in a fire-ready position on the handheld base.
 3. The projectile of claim 2 wherein a handheld base of a bug zapper has a launch mechanism and wherein the rearwardly extending end of the central shaft of the projectile is configured to releasably connect to such launch mechanism in a fire-ready position such that the electrical charge storage means of the projectile is charged through the launch mechanism of a handheld base when the projectile is in a firing fire-ready position on the handheld base.
 4. The projectile of claim 1 wherein the electrical charge storage means on the projectile is a charge storage capacitor.
 5. The projectile of claim 1 wherein the projectile has fin walls extending radially from the central shaft and having distal ends, the frame of the projectile being affixed to the distal ends of the fin walls of the projectile to hold the front-facing conductive contact structure of the projectile in a front-facing orientation.
 6. The projectile of claim 5 wherein an electrical charge storage means on the projectile is attached to a fin wall of the projectile.
 7. The projectile of claim 1 wherein the front-facing conductive contact structure of the projectile provides a substantially planar front-facing contact structure for intercepting insects.
 8. The projectile of claim 7 wherein the substantially planar, front-facing conductive contact structure has an area of about four square inches.
 9. The projectile of claim 1 wherein the pattern of electric wires forming the front-facing conductive contact structure of the projectile is comprised of an inner wire grid of one polarity and an outer wire grid of the opposite polarity.
 10. The insect zapper gun of claim 9 wherein the inner and outer wire grids of the pattern of electric wires forming the large-area, front-facing conductive contact structure of the projectile have mesh openings characterized by mesh opening sizes, and wherein the size of the mesh openings of the inner wire grid is smaller than the size of the mesh openings of the outer wire grid.
 11. The projectile of claim 1 wherein the pattern of electric wires forming the large-area, front-facing conductive contact structure of the projectile is formed by parallel wires of alternating polarities.
 12. A projectile for an insect zapper gun having a handheld base wherein the projectile is launched from the handheld base from a fire-ready position on a handheld base, the projectile comprising: a pattern of electric wires extending radially from a longitudinal axis of the projectile and forming a radially extending, front-facing conductive contact structure, wherein the pattern of electric wires comprises either a first pattern of electric wires comprising wires that cross each other or a second pattern of electric wires comprising wires that are parallel to each other and arranged side-by-side, the pattern of electric wires being fixedly attached to a portion of the projectile so as to be immovable with respect to the portion of the projectile, the projectile further having at least one charge storage capacitor affixed thereto, the at least one charge storage capacitor being electrically connected to the front-facing conductive contact structure of the projectile, such that, when the projectile with the charged at least one charge storage capacitor is propelled in a forward trajectory and the front-facing conductive contact structure of the projectile comes into contact with an insect, the electric charge stored in the at least one charge storage capacitor affixed to the projectile will be transmitted to the insect.
 13. The projectile of claim 12 wherein the front-facing conductive contact structure of the projectile provides a substantially planar front-facing contact structure for intercepting insects.
 14. The projectile of claim 12 wherein the substantially planar, front-facing conductive contact structure has an area of about four square inches.
 15. The projectile of claim 12 wherein the pattern of electric wires forming the front-facing conductive contact structure of the projectile is comprised of an inner wire grid of one polarity and an outer wire grid of the opposite polarity.
 16. The insect zapper gun of claim 15 wherein the inner and outer wire grids of the pattern of electric wires forming the large-area, front-facing conductive contact structure of the projectile have mesh openings characterized by mesh opening sizes, and wherein the size of the mesh openings of the inner wire grid is smaller than the size of the mesh openings of the outer wire grid.
 17. The projectile of claim 12 wherein the pattern of electric wires forming the large-area, front-facing conductive contact structure of the projectile is formed by parallel wires of alternating polarities. 